Fath al-Rabbani

Benefits: … Now the name of Constantinople is Istanbul, and this city is now located in Turkey. During his reign, Sayyiduna Amir Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu sent two naval expeditions to conquer Constantinople, but success was not achieved. Then, in 98 AH, the armies of Islam once again besieged Constantinople, but due to unfavorable weather and Greek fire (explosive material), the city could not be conquered.

After the death of Sultan Muhammad II, the reins of government came into the hands of his twenty-three-year-old son, Muhammad II. He was the first Ottoman Sultan who resolved to conquer Constantinople and succeeded in doing so. This event took place in 857 AH.

Another blessed hadith and its details regarding Constantinople are as follows:

Khalid bin Ma'dan says that Umair bin Aswad Al-Ansi narrated to him that he came to Sayyiduna Ubadah bin Samit radi Allahu anhu, who at that time was staying on the coast of Homs along with Sayyidah Umm Haram radi Allahu anha. Umair says: Sayyidah Umm Haram narrated to us that she heard the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam say: ((The first army from my Ummah to undertake a naval expedition has made Paradise obligatory for themselves.)) Umm Haram said: I asked, O Messenger of Allah! Will I be among them? He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: You will be among them. Then he said: ((The first army from my Ummah to attack the city of Caesar will be forgiven.)) I asked: O Messenger of Allah! Will I be among them? He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: No. (Sahih Bukhari)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar said that Muhallab stated that in this hadith is a virtue for Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu, who was the first to undertake a naval expedition, and also a virtue for his son Yazid, who was the first to attack the city of Caesar in 52 AH. Then Ibn Teen objected to this, the summary of which is: It is not necessary that a specific evidence is required to exclude someone from the generality of a hadith, because the scholars are agreed that the words of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, "the first army will be forgiven," refer to those for whom forgiveness is possible. For example, if someone participated in this army and then became an apostate, by consensus he would not be included in the generality of this hadith. Thus, it is clear that the glad tidings of forgiveness in this hadith are being given to those in whom the condition of forgiveness is found.

However, Ibn Teen's statement that it is possible that Yazid was not even present in the army is rejected, because by consensus he was the commander of the army. Yes, it is possible that Ibn Teen meant that he participated but did not actually fight.

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari radi Allahu anhu was also in this army, and he passed away during this campaign. He had made a will that he be buried near the gates of Constantinople and that the traces of his grave be erased. Then he passed away and his will was carried out. (Fath al-Bari: 6/127)

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, Allamah Qastallani, and Hafiz Ibn Kathir rahimahumullah ta'ala—such leading scholars of the predecessors—have declared Yazid bin Muawiyah to be the commander of that first army which, for the first time in Islamic history, attacked the city of Caesar (Constantinople).

However, we have read a twenty-six-page article by a contemporary doctor, in which an attempt was made to distance Yazid bin Muawiyah from Allah ta'ala's forgiveness due to three major crimes. At this point, we do not wish to make Yazid's personality, whether good or bad, the subject of discussion. The question is: If the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gives the glad tidings of forgiveness to an army, is it necessary that all those included in that army be infallible and pure so that they may be deserving of Allah's forgiveness? Can any sinful person who participated in that army be excluded from the general proclamation and glad tidings of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam? Who will decide that such and such a person who participated in that army will be forgiven, but such and such will be deprived? Let us clarify the matter with another example: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that whoever recites the supplication "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah..." after performing ablution (wudu), all eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him. Consider: If a sinful person recites this supplication after ablution, can it be said to him that due to your sins, you cannot be included in this glad tidings?

The second legal point is that these people should have understood that passing a ruling on an action is one thing, and passing a ruling on the doer is another. The clarification is as follows: It is necessary to say that the first army to attack the city of Caesar is forgiven. But to infer from this that every individual who participated in it has had all his sins forgiven and is a definite inheritor of Paradise is not correct in any way. The reality is that, in general, good opinion will be held about the entire army, and the final decision about each individual will be left to Allah ta'ala, because only Allah knows the state of intentions and the acceptance of deeds. Just as you can say that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that whoever recites the supplication "Ashhadu an la ilaha illallah..." after ablution, all eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him. But to address the person who does this and say, "All eight gates of Paradise have been opened for you and you will definitely enter Paradise after death," is not correct; rather, his matter will be left to Allah ta'ala.

These remarks do not mean that we do not acknowledge the sanctity of Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah, or that we are not cautious regarding the rights of Ahl al-Bayt, or that we consider all the actions of Yazid's era to be correct.

On the 20th of Ramadan, 40 AH, Sayyiduna Ali radi Allahu anhu departed to the True Creator. After him, Sayyiduna Hasan radi Allahu anhu was the ruler of the Muslim Ummah for six months. After this half year, he abdicated in favor of Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu, and at the beginning of 41 AH, Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu became the sole ruler of the Muslim Ummah and ruled for twenty years. Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu departed from this transient world to the eternal realm on Thursday, 22nd Rajab, 60 AH. His total age was 70 years.